Illustration of Anna Russian tomato
Illustration based on known variety traits. Appearance varies by growing conditions.

No. 072 · heirloom

Anna Russian

Anna Russian is an indeterminate heirloom beefsteak with pink, heart-shaped oxheart fruit. It ripens in about 75 days.

Typebeefsteak
Habitindeterminate
Days to maturity75
Fruit size10 to 16 oz
Colorpink, heart-shaped oxheart
Difficultymoderate

Flavor

Described as sweet and complex with a juiciness uncommon for an early oxheart, rich enough for sandwiches. This is the recurring catalog and grower description, not a measured claim.

Origin

An oxheart heirloom brought to the United States by Russian immigrants and introduced to gardeners by Craig LeHoullier in the 1989 Seed Savers Exchange Yearbook.

What it does well

  • Early, heavy yields of large pink heart-shaped fruit
  • Dense, meaty flesh good fresh or for sauce
  • Sweeter and juicier than many oxhearts

Where it frustrates

  • Heart-shaped fruit can be irregular and prone to cracking
  • Tall indeterminate vines need strong support

Like Anna Russian, but...

Sold out, or after a change? The closest alternatives, and how they differ.

Brandywinebut a heart-shaped oxheart rather than a round beefsteakGerman Pinkbut earlier and heart-shaped

Where to buy seed

Sources